DATE: Saturday, September 27, 1997          TAG: 9709270397

SECTION: FRONT                   PAGE: A1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY JON FRANK,STAFF WRITER

DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH                    LENGTH:   90 lines

TRAINING OF POLICE BY BEACH QUESTIONED < 3 ADVOCACY GROUPS CALL FOR OUTSIDERS TO EVALUATE POLICIES

In the wake of disciplinary actions against 18 police officers involved in a fatal shooting in March, the presidents of three police organizations struck back Friday, criticizing what they said may be inadequate training policies within the department.

At an afternoon press conference, leaders of the three groups called for an independent body to investigate ``the Police Department's performance standards and police training . . . and make recommendations if such be necessary.''

``What we are calling for the city to do is bring somebody in from the outside and look at (training) from top to bottom,'' said Al Byrum, president of the Virginia Beach Fraternal Order of Police.

``The issue is training,'' explained Pat Gough, president of the Virginia Beach Policemen's Supervisor's Association. Gough and Byrum were joined by Bobby Mathieson, president of the Virginia Beach Policemen's Benevolent Association.

The three officers refused to talk about the disciplinary actions against policemen who participated in the March 25 low-speed pursuit and fatal shooting of Bruce V. Quagliato. Quagliato's Camaro was riddled by 60 bullets fired by at least eight officers on Independence Boulevard. The chase began miles away at Little Creek Amphibious Base.

``That is not what we are here about today,'' explained Byrum, a homicide detective.

Instead, Byrum and the other leaders implied that training problems have contributed not only to Quagliato's death, but also to other high-profile and controversial cases involving Virginia Beach police during the last two years. Those include at least two other fatal shootings, several non-fatal shootings and numerous high-speed pursuits.

``It is the amount of critical incidents have happened over the last 18 months or two years,'' Byrum said. ``This is not about just this one particular incident.''

The events ``have called into question performance standards and police training within the Virginia Beach Police Department,'' the officers said in a written statement.

But hovering over the press conference was the specter of the disciplinary actions, apparently unprecedented in scope, against the 18 officers.

Mathieson said the disciplinary actions announced this week were unique in his experience as a police officer.

``In 22 years, I've never seen anything like it,'' Mathieson said.

Soon after the Quagliato shooting, all of the officers were cleared by separate investigations conducted by the commonwealth's attorney's office and the Police Department.

This week, however - six months after the fatal shooting - the officers were notified that they were being disciplined. All received letters that give the officers five days to respond to the charges before they are levied.

The officers face punishment ranging from written reprimands to termination. Other possible punishments are transfers, suspensions and demotions.

Joining the association presidents on Friday was state Sen. Kenneth W. Stolle, an attorney and former police officer who is representing many of the 18 officers facing punishment.

Stolle also said the request for an independent investigation is not a move to ``stem off the disciplinary actions in the Quagliato case. This is about trying to improve the Police Department.''

But a day earlier, Stolle said the disciplinary moves were attempts to create a ``firewall'' against potential legal problems for the city linked to the Quagliato case. Quagliato's family has announced plans to sue the city and the Navy for Quagliato's death.

On Friday, Stolle repeated the charge.

``The fact that there is a lawsuit on this case has impacted the city position with regard to disciplinary action,'' Stolle said. ``The timing is clearly indicative of that as well. We went through almost half a year without this excessive disciplinary action coming down on some police officers that never even got close to the scene on this action.''

If a suit is filed on behalf of Quagliato in federal court, Stolle said, the Police Department may claim the officers acted beyond the scope of their training. Such a claim could reduce the city's liability, he said.

Quagliato was one of seven people shot during an 18-month period. Two others also died from their wounds.

Calls to Police Chief Charles Wall on Friday were not returned. Police are forbidden to comment on personnel matters. ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo

TING-LI WANG/The Virginian-Pilot

Al Byrum, left, president of the Virginia Beach FOP, and Sen.

Kenneth W. Stolle, an attorney who is representing many of the 18

police officers facing punishment. KEYWORDS: VIRGINIA BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT SHOOTING

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